Popular smoking articles, such as cigarettes, conventionally have been sold in packages. Typically, each full package contains about 20 cigarettes. Cigarettes have been packaged in containers known as so-called “soft packs.” See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,422 to Tripodi; U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,017 to Sprinkel, Jr., et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,729 to Wolfe, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Cigarettes also have been packaged in containers known as so-called “hard packs” or “crush proof boxes.” See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,581 to Fox et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,066 to Niepmann; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,734 to Allen et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In certain circumstances, two or more packages, each package containing 20 cigarettes, are contained in paperboard sleeves, particularly for promotional purposes (e.g., for “Buy One-Get One Free,” “By Two-Get One Free,” or “Buy Two-Get a Lighter,” types of marketing promotions). See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,219 to Chacko et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Various proposed types of cigarette package designs and configurations also are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,623 to Clemens; U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,768 to Gatto; U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,010 to Rogers, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,353 to Focke et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,261 to Kutchin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,140 to Burrows et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,901 to Milliner; U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,986 to Cobler; U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,018 to Keaveney; U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,429 to Dennen; U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,369 to Amos; U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,827 to Stringfield; U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,763 to Draghetti; U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,764 to Focke; D509,623 to Mitten; D523,171 to Mitten et al.; D523,990 to Mitten et al.; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2005/0023158 to Mitten et al.; 2005/0150786 to Mitten et al.; 2005/0155878 to Pham; and 2006/0091026 to Mitten et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference. See also, for example, the types of packaging configurations used for cigarettes sold in Japan under the tradename “Duo Virginia Slims.”
It would be highly desirable to provide an aesthetically pleasing cigarette package having at least two compartments that contain cigarettes. It also would be desirable to provide a cigarette package having discrete compartments, allowing each to be moved therein and opened independently to expose the cigarettes contained therein. Such an arrangement may provide an aesthetically pleasing package and may present improved freshness maintenance for the cigarettes.